Treatment of dry skin

A non-irritating therapeutic composition for alleviating the symptoms of dry skin in humans comprising:

• a therapeutically effective amount of a reaction product prepared by reacting, in aqueous or alcoholic aqueous solution at least one member selected from the group consisting of citric acid, glycolic acid, glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid, glucuronolactone, gluconolactone, .alpha.-hydroxybutyric acid, .alpha.-hydroxyisobutyric acid, mandelic acid, mucic acid, pyruvic acid, methyl pyruvate, ethyl pyruvate, .beta.-phenyllactic acid, .alpha.-phenylpyruvic acid, saccharic acid, tartaric acid, tartronic acid, and .beta.-hydroxybutyric acid and a base selected from a group consisting of ammonium hydroxide, an organic primary, secondary, or tertiary alkylamine, alkanolamine, diamine, dialkylamine, dialkanolamine, alkylalkanolamine, trialkylamine, trialkanol amine, dialky alkanol amine, or alkyl dialkanolamine wherein the alkyl or alkanol substituent has from 1 to 8 carbon atoms in a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle for topical application selected from the group consisting of lotion, cream, and ointment.